Parties upbeat over high voter turnoutSTAFF REPORTER GUWAHATI, April 7 – With a heavy turnout of voters in the first phase of the polls in five parliamentary constituencies of Assam, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is of the view that the people have voted for a change, while the Congress asserted that the party would do well in the first phase.

On the other hand, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) alleged that there were reasons to suspect that the electronic voting machines (EVMs) were tampered with in some places.

Talking to The Assam Tribune after the first phase of the polls, Member of Parliament Pankaj Bora, who heads the election control room of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), said that the high turnout of voters was encouraging. He claimed that most people have voted for the Congress and the party is confident of doing well. He said that the party has nothing to complain about as the polling went off peacefully.

State unit general secretary of the BJP, Santanu Bharali said that the high turnout of voters proved that the people have come out to cast their votes in favour of a change. He said that a wave for making Narendra Modi Prime Minister is blowing all over the State and today people came out in large numbers to support Modi. He said that the BJP is confident of faring well in the first phase of the polls.

AGP working president Atul Bora said that the people’s response in the first phase of the polls was satisfactory and the regional party is hopeful of getting the support of the people. However, at the same time, he expressed fear that the possibility of the ruling party tampering with the EVMs cannot be ruled out. He said that time and again, the AGP had expressed apprehension that the ruling party might try to tamper with the EVMs and the party also submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission in this regard. He said the AGP had also demanded introduction of voters’ verification slips so that the voters can ascertain that their votes were registered properly. But the same was not done by the EC, he alleged. He also alleged that the Congress tried to use money power to woo voters in some parts of the state.